Family

You start to wake slowly. Instinctively you run your hand over your belly. Wait it has shrunk? For a brief moment you panic, then you remember. How, silly you gave birth to your baby. You instantly calm down, until a new question pops up in your head. So, if your baby is no longer in your belly, where is it? You jerk up suddenly wide awake and in full panic mode, only to immediately calm right down again. In fact what you see completely melts your heart.

Alex is sitting in an armchair next to you with a wide smile splitting his face. His eyes fixed on his baby boy that is resting on his bare chest. Little John is sleeping soundly with a hospital blanket wrapped over him. His daddy is holding one hand under him for support. The other hand Is currently busy trying to free it's index finger from the incredible strength of your firstborns tiny hand.

"God morning sleepy." Alex whispers once he notices that you are awake.

"How long have I been asleep?" You ask trying not to wake your baby.

"About four hours I would say." Alex responds. Then the little bundle on his chest starts to move as baby John starts fussing. "Did you hear mommy now? Right lets go to mommy." Alex coos softly before gently giving him over to you.

"Hi." You say softly as he is placed in your arms. Alex helps put the bed in a reclined position for you as you try to calm your fussing newborn. Once he is done you motion for husband to sit down next to you. He does, wrapping his arm over your shoulder. You cuddle close, mommy, daddy and baby all together as a family.

"What did the doctors say." You ask?

"That after six hours of Labour John Cunningham was born a perfectly healthy baby boy." Alex announces. Baby John mewls in respons.

"Yes, you are mommies perfect little boy, yes you are." You coo happily over your infant.

"Unfortunately you missed his first diaper change." Alex tells you. "Although I am reassured that it was a most excellent first poop."

"OOhh did mommies boy go make a bum bum." You Coo. You really do find that everything your baby boy is doing and has done is the most wonderful things any baby has ever done.

Then you gasp with excitement. "Alex he is opening his eyes." You declare happily. Sitting there you watch as your newborns eyes slowly opens for the first time. Once fully open you look at your babies eyes and then at your husband and then back at your babies. "Mommies perfect boy has his fathers perfect eyes." You smile.

Shortly after opening his eyes John starts crying. A few frantic moments happen when you and Alex try to figure out how to make him stop until Alex propose that he might be hungry. It appears so as your baby boy starts eagerly suckling as soon as you present him with your source of food. Everyone calm down again as you nurse your baby.

"How are you feeling." Alex asks finally.

"Tiered, also like someone has kicked my groin repeatedly. But mostly I feel really, really happy." You respond. He hugs you gently and you both stare at your little one eating his fill.

A short knock on the door is followed by a nurse checking in on you. She is very pleased your family is doing good especially seeing as you have no problem feeding your latest addition. She then asks if you feel you can allow four new grandparents and a new aunt in to see you as they are eagerly waiting int the waiting room. From not having thought about it at all you suddenly get really excited to introduce your baby to his extended family.

As they enter there is a lot of cooing and well-wishing and questions. John is passed around and introduced to every one of his relatives until he starts crying while your father-in-law holds him, and your mother takes him and gives him back to you. You can't help but wonder if John is aware that Alex's dad was so demanding of him it made him sick and therefore he dislikes his grandfather? Well, if grandpa is good and generous with future Christmas gifts and birthday presents he will probably be able to gain his grandsons affection.

"So, Amy, settle a bet will you." Gwen says suddenly.

"Really Gwen right now?" Your mother sighs.

"Yes now. Amy seeing as you are probably the only person in the world that can answer this right now, what hurts more; kick in the testicles or childbirth?" You are sort of taken aback by the question.

"Childbirth?" You respond carefully, wondering if this is some sort of trick question.

Smiling she looks at you "Better pay up then." she say holding out her hand. You feel really confused until you feel Alex getting up from beside you. His face red with embarrassment he hands some bills over to Gwen. Everyone is staring right at him. Your mother and mother-in-law with barely contained fury, Gwen with a triumphant smile and your father and father-in-law trying desperately to not laugh.

Sensing the impending fight, you declare that you feel tiered and asks your relatives to get home safely. Your mother and mother-in-law take the hint and sweep the rest of your guests out of the room. You can hear your dad telling Alex that he is never living this down as he says goodbye.

"So, care to explain that." You say to Alex with John sleeping in your arms.

"Look I understood that there was some pain alright? But I thought it was mostly just effort. Like, why would someone go through the worst pain ever and then be able to do it again?" He desperately tries to explain.

"Right! I get it. Like I thought so to. Like the screaming and all that would be just from effort. Boy was I wrong though." You agree.

"So how was it really?" He asks.

"I can't really describe it." You sigh. "More painful than anything I have done, more scary, more stressful." You count. "But then, when it was over and I held our baby in my arms it sort of went away. I mean it still hurt like I had just been pummeled from the inside. But, but now I can't help but thinking having our baby right here that I probably want another one sometime in the future. Despite all the pain, it was worth it."

There is a long silence. "You hungry?" Alex asks.

"Starving!" You respond.

"Right, I am going to get us some food. You two don't go anywhere." He says before slinking out the door.

"Don't worry, daddy is an idiot, but he's got a really good heart." You say to baby John. "And mommy will love both of you forever even if you turn out to be an idiot as well." You ad. John mewls in respons.